Title: Vampire Cult Trial To Begin Monday / Jurors Dismissed in Vampire Trial

Source: Associated Press, 02/01, 02/02, 1998 (respectively)

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Rod Ferrell (Kentucky Vampire Clan) Stories
Vampire Cult Trial To Begin Monday
.c The Associated Press
By MIKE SCHNEIDER

TAVARES, Fla. (AP) - Animal torture and mutilations, teens drinking each other's blood, a girl's parents bludgeoned to death and a corpse marked with occult markings.

Sounds like stock elements of a horror movie, but on Monday jury selection was set to begin in the trial of a teen-ager whose alleged vampire cult is accused of committing all of the above acts.

Accused cult ringleader Rod Ferrell, 17, could face the death penalty if convicted of a charge of first degree murder.

Ferrell is nervous, especially about whether it's possible to find jurors in this rural area who have not heard about the lurid case, says his lawyer William Lackay.

``I think it's going to be hard but not impossible,'' Lackay said of his chances for success.  Important to the case is the testimony of Heather Wendorf, a 16-year-old cult devotee whose parents were beaten to death in their home in November 1996.

That afternoon, Miss Wendorf and Ferrell - a friend who was the cult's ``sire'' - performed a blood drinking ritual in a cemetery to induct, or ``cross over,'' her as a fellow vampire, according to investigators.

``The person that gets crossed over is like subject to whatever the sire wants,'' Miss Wendorf said in a deposition. ``Like the sire is boss basically. They have authority over you.''

In the cemetery, investigators say, she and Ferrell talked about their plans to leave town. Ferrell allegedly discussed killing Miss Wendorf's parents, but she told him not to harm them, investigators allege.

Ferrell, Miss Wendorf and others had plotted for seven months through letters and phone conversations to run away together. Considered misfits when they met at Eustis High School, the two found solace in each other's company. When Ferrell later moved to Kentucky, they stayed in touch.

On the day they left town, they left behind the corpses of Richard Wendorf and Naoma Queen, prosecutors charge.

The two were found bludgeoned at their home in Eustis, about 35 miles northwest of Orlando. Wendorf was beaten severely in the face; Queen was found face-down on a bloody kitchen floor. 

A ``v'' sign surrounded by circular marks was burned into Wendorf's body. Police said it was the sign of Ferrell's vampire clan and each circular mark represented a clan member.

Only Ferrell is charged with the actual killing. Another teen, Howard Scott Anderson, 17, is accused of being a principal to murder by being at the house but doing nothing to stop the killings. He faces the death penalty despite the reduced charge.

Charged with being accessories to murder are Kentucky teens Dana L. Cooper, 20, and Charity Keesee, 17. They do not face the death penalty.

The two were not at the house at the time but later left town with the others in the Wendorfs' stolen car. All five were caught a few days later in Louisiana. Miss Wendorf was cleared by a grand jury.

Although his lawyer says he's nervous, friends have described Ferrell as hostile and prone to animal torture.

He may have had a troubled family life as well. His mother, Sondra Gibson, pleaded guilty in Kentucky last November to trying to entice a 14-year-old boy into having sex as part of a vampire initiation ritual.

John Goodman, a Kentucky cult member who didn't travel with Ferrell to Florida, said his friend "had become possessed with opening the Gates to Hell, which meant he would have to kill a large number of people in order to consume their souls. By doing this, Ferrell believed that he would obtain super powers.''

When questioned by investigators, Miss Wendorf said the only reason she went with the group was because she had no place to go and feared she would be blamed for the murders. She said she learned about the murders during the trip and was distraught at hearing her parents were dead.

AP-NY-02-01-98 1646EST
Copyright 1997 The Associated Press. 

Jurors Dismissed in Vampire Trial
.c The Associated Press
By MIKE SCHNEIDER

TAVARES, Fla. (AP) - A dozen potential jurors were dismissed this morning in the murder trial of Rod Ferrell, described by one friend as ``possessed with opening the Gates to Hell,'' something he believed he needed to kill many people to do.

The jurors were dismissed because of hardship concerns, though defense attorney William Lackay has said he is concerned about finding impartial panelists to hear the lurid case.

Ferrell, a 17-year-old from Murray, Ky., allegedly began his quest by bludgeoning to death the parents of another member of his teen vampire cult.

Jury selection began today in the case, which sounds like it comes straight out of a horror movie - complete with accusations of animal torture and mutilations, teens drinking each other's blood and a corpse bearing occult markings.

Residents of this rural area are familiar with the case, hearing details like the statement by John Goodman of Kentucky, a cult member who didn't travel with Ferrell to Florida.

Goodman said his friend ``had become possessed with opening the Gates to Hell, which meant he would have to kill a large number of people in order to consume their souls. By doing this, Ferrell believed that he would obtain super powers.''

Important to the case is the testimony of Heather Wendorf, a 16-year-old cult devotee whose parents were killed in their home in November 1996.

That afternoon, Miss Wendorf and Ferrell performed a blood drinking ritual in a cemetery to induct, or ``cross over,'' her as a fellow vampire, according to investigators.

"The person that gets crossed over is like subject to whatever the sire wants,'' Miss Wendorf said in a deposition. ``Like the sire is boss basically. They have authority over you.''

Investigators say she and Ferrell talked about their plans to leave town. Ferrell allegedly discussed killing Miss Wendorf's parents, but she told him not to harm them, investigators allege.

Ferrell and Miss Wendorf were considered misfits at Eustis High School and found solace in each other's company. When Ferrell moved to Kentucky, they stayed in touch.

They and others had plotted for seven months through letters and phone conversations to run away together. When they finally did take off, they left behind the corpses of Richard Wendorf and Naoma Queen, prosecutors say.

The bodies were discovered at their home in Eustis, about 35 miles northwest of Orlando. Wendorf was beaten severely in the face; Queen was found face-down on a bloody kitchen floor.

A "V'' sign surrounded by circular marks was burned into Wendorf's body. Police said it was the sign of Ferrell's vampire clan and each circular mark represented a clan member.

Only Ferrell is charged with the actual killing, which could bring the death penalty. Howard Scott Anderson, 17, is accused of being a principal accessory to murder by being at the house but having done nothing to stop the killings. He faces the death penalty despite the reduced charge.

Charged with being accessories to murder are Dana L. Cooper, 20, and Charity Keesee, 17, both also from Murray, Ky. They do not face the death penalty and were not at the house at the time, though they later left town with the others in the Wendorfs' stolen car.

All five were caught a few days later in Louisiana. Miss Wendorf was cleared by a grand jury.

When questioned by investigators, Miss Wendorf said the only reason she went with the group was because she had no place to go and feared she would be blamed for the murders. She said she learned about the murders during the trip and was distraught to hear her parents were dead.

AP-NY-02-02-98 1135EST
Copyright 1997 The Associated Press.

Jurors Dismissed in Vampire Trial
.c The Associated Press
By MIKE SCHNEIDER

TAVARES, Fla. (AP) - A dozen potential jurors were dismissed this morning in the murder trial of Rod Ferrell, described by one friend as ``possessed with opening the Gates to Hell,'' something he believed he needed to kill many people to do.

The jurors were dismissed because of hardship concerns, though defense attorney William Lackay has said he is concerned about finding impartial panelists to hear the lurid case.

Ferrell, a 17-year-old from Murray, Ky., allegedly began his quest by bludgeoning to death the parents of another member of his teen vampire cult.

Jury selection began today in the case, which sounds like it comes straight out of a horror movie - complete with accusations of animal torture and mutilations, teens drinking each other's blood and a corpse bearing occult markings.

Residents of this rural area are familiar with the case, hearing details like the statement by John Goodman of Kentucky, a cult member who didn't travel with Ferrell to Florida.

Goodman said his friend ``had become possessed with opening the Gates to Hell, which meant he would have to kill a large number of people in order to consume their souls. By doing this, Ferrell believed that he would obtain super powers.''

Important to the case is the testimony of Heather Wendorf, a 16-year-old cult devotee whose parents were killed in their home in November 1996.

That afternoon, Miss Wendorf and Ferrell performed a blood drinking ritual in a cemetery to induct, or "cross over,'' her as a fellow vampire, according to investigators.

"The person that gets crossed over is like subject to whatever the sire wants,'' Miss Wendorf said in a deposition. "Like the sire is boss basically. They have authority over you.''

Investigators say she and Ferrell talked about their plans to leave town. Ferrell allegedly discussed killing Miss Wendorf's parents, but she told him not to harm them, investigators allege.

Ferrell and Miss Wendorf were considered misfits at Eustis High School and found solace in each other's company. When Ferrell moved to Kentucky, they stayed in touch.

They and others had plotted for seven months through letters and phone conversations to run away together. When they finally did take off, they left behind the corpses of Richard Wendorf and Naoma Queen, prosecutors say.

The bodies were discovered at their home in Eustis, about 35 miles northwest of Orlando. Wendorf was beaten severely in the face; Queen was found face-down on a bloody kitchen floor.

A ``V'' sign surrounded by circular marks was burned into Wendorf's body. Police said it was the sign of Ferrell's vampire clan and each circular mark represented a clan member.

Only Ferrell is charged with the actual killing, which could bring the death penalty. Howard Scott Anderson, 17, is accused of being a principal accessory to murder by being at the house but having done nothing to stop the killings. He faces the death penalty despite the reduced charge.

Charged with being accessories to murder are Dana L. Cooper, 20, and Charity Keesee, 17, both also from Murray, Ky. They do not face the death penalty and were not at the house at the time, though they later left town with the others in the Wendorfs' stolen car.

All five were caught a few days later in Louisiana. Miss Wendorf was cleared by a grand jury.

When questioned by investigators, Miss Wendorf said the only reason she went with the group was because she had no place to go and feared she would be blamed for the murders. She said she learned about the murders during the trip and was distraught to hear her parents were dead.

AP-NY-02-02-98 1135EST
Copyright 1997 The Associated Press.